By Thomson McCorkle
During the past two months the Heavy Pets have played multiple venues around south Florida. The Pets have impressed audiences with their musical versatility. They also know how to keep a crowd dancing. They have been playing private parties, bars, festival sets and outdoor venues. Every time, the Pets impressed the crowd of faithful followers and newcomers alike with songs from their first two albums Whale (2007) and The Heavy Pets (2010), and a few new songs as well.
The Heavy Pets’ critically acclaimed headliner set at Aura Music festival (reviewed at jambandsonline.com) was a keystone for the weekend. A side project of the band, Lather Up, played an amazing late-night set at Aura. This outfit also played a jazzy two set show with special guests Travis Acker (Cypress, Groundscore) and Rob Smiley (Ketchy Shuby, Fusik) at Hurricane’s in Delray Beach in celebration of the Pets’ first single, “Lantern,” released at midnight on Valentine’s Day in anticipation of their upcoming East Coast tour that began Thursday in West Palm Beach, Florida.
The Pets sound spans from reggae, to jamtronica, to traditional, to American rock. Their new single, “Lantern” is a straight-ahead song, crafted in the American song writing tradition. With simple, illuminating lyrics and a catchy rhythm, the new song opens with a pedal steel guitar and solid back beat on drums with vocal harmonies and simple acoustic guitar chord changes in the background. A few minutes in a horn arrangement begins to fill in the background. Moments later the song takes on its full form as the horns and harmonies join the forefront of the song and a bouncy section featuring piano, and acoustic guitar gives way to the Pets familiar sound: lead guitar takes flight with snare and ride. A humming bass holds down the rhythm section. A short soaring guitar solo ends the piece.
Be sure to visit the theheavypets.com to listen to “Lantern” and to learn more about their current East Coast tour.
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